The police have barred seven buses packed with lawyers and members of the public from entering Putrajaya this morning.

The buses were headed towards the Palace of Justice in the administrative capital where the passengers were to take part in a protest march calling for a royal commission of inquiry into judicial integrity.

Malaysiakini learnt that some private vehicles too have been stopped from entering Putrajaya.

The march is organised by the Bar Council in the aftermath of the latest scandal to hit the judiciary - a video clip showing a senior lawyer brokering the appointment of judges with another person on the telephone.

The context of the conversation indicated that the person at the other end was the current Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

The march from the Palace of Justice to the PM's Department was scheduled to start at 11am.

Those stranded - numbering about 200 - are now walking to the Palace of Justice, which is located about five kilometres away from where they have been stopped.

Eyewitnesses say they are carrying banners and shouting slogans along their way.

Meanwhile at the Palace of Justice a crowd numbering about 2,000 - majority of whom are lawyers - have started gathering since early morning.

There is also a large presence of police personnel, including from the Federal Reserve Unit.


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